Rath of Liberty
by Virusea
Summary: On a mission to rescue his childhood companion, Rath is enveloped into a nightmareish struggle. To which he will learn secrets about himself, his family, and the fate of the planet. While at the same time evading the awkward affections of an infatuated a
1. Rath of Liberty

**Rath of Liberty**

Summary: Whether Rath is searching for his long lost love Liberty, being beaten close to death or dodging kisses from his love struck ape master Zimmer, Rath never seems to get any Trankuility.

Four gray horse snorts gruffly as they trudge through a dusty dirt road which cuts through the menacing dark Sabador Forest. The moderate sized Conestoga weighs down hard against the steel wheels, then the huge ape in the driver's seat pulls the steeds to a quick halt. The dark furred ape gazes down at the path a few feet ahead of him, where a large ape lays face down in the middle of the dusty road, it's powerful limbs folded neatly under its bulky body. The ape driver slows then snaps the breaks on, then quickly springs five feet in the air and his buckle boots lands with a thump next to the ape in the road. He leans over and sniffs the body gently, but the body was as still as a log, hesitantly he reaches out a big hand and slowly flips the body over to find it's stomach sliced open and it stuffed with leaves, like a big dead teddy bear, every opening in the ape's body exploding with blood stained leaves even the eye sockets.

The ape jerked back with wide eyes and his jaw hanging ajar. "Oh my…." he began to gasp but before he could finish a sword blade emerged out from the darkness behind him and slid across the front of his neck, leaving a gushing opening.

"Pathetic creatures…" sneered a deep voice from the darkness. The assailant stepped forward from the darkness, but his face was hidden beneath the shadows from the hood of his jet-black cloak. But vivid, glowing and easily cutting through the darkness beneath the hood were sharp bold green T shaped markings on both cheeks. The hood hung carelessly over his shoulders and bared his shirtless torso, and loose black pants from the front.

The huge bleeding ape fell before the hooded creature with a thump as his knees made impact with the ground, then a louder thump as the front of his body fell flat against the ground. "I know it's not our style to attack in broad day light, but we have no choice since the ape's rarely come out during the night anymore, since that's our usual hunting hours." the hood seemed bowed down to where the ape lay, and his solemn yet jeering words seemed to hang in the silent air, just as four other hooded creatures emerged from the darkness without disturbing the unnatural muteness. The sword's dripping vivid red blade was brought up to the black hole in the hood, and a long pink tongue snaked out and ran the length of the sword and leaving it glimmering like new, then it was placed back in the scabbard at the waist in the same smooth motion. "Let's see what's in the wagon." said a hood with a skinny II shape on his forehead, which glowed a brilliant lemon lime green as well. His arm began to raise up the white cloth which covered the wagon, but before it was uncovered the hood with T's on his cheeks shoved him to the side, just as a sword stabbed through the cloth of the wagon from the inside, nearly missing the II hood's abdomen.

"Another one of Worren's traps..." muttered the T hood lowly, almost in a sigh, but his voice promptly filled with vigor as he called out. " It's time for a slaughtering, men!" His face being held high enough to shed light on a wide wolfish grin, as his sword was swung out from his waist and twirled like a ballerina a few times in his palm..

"YAH! Slaughter! Slaughter!" chanted porcelain white jaws from beneath the dark hoods, as each drew a sword out from beneath their cloaks.

Twenty muscular, warrior apes, three times bigger then the hooded creatures, and sporting heavy armor swarmed out from the Conestoga with swords, bows, maces, and blunt axes.

But the hooded ones flowed and swooned through the small army, with swift gleaming steel splatting puddles of entrails and blood behind them. Just when an ape lifted it's weapon it was already relinquished of it's life, and soon most apes where brought to their knees with grunts, deep throaty gurgles and a lasting thud to the dusty dirt. Till there remained only two apes still standing with their fur matted with blood of their own and some from their fallen comrades. The hoods were circling around them, their movements not even disturbing the air enough to make a single sound, and their hoods not swaying at all even as they circled faster around.

"Come on now, apes. Try to bring a lasting blow against Me." taunted a hood, it's impish jeering smile beaming like a crescent moon. Then just as the neat circle moved in uncomfortably close; "BANG!" deafened the forest for a moment, forcing the birds from their trees, and the hoods promptly froze where they stood. Both the apes and hoods began to turn their heads from side to side, curious and befuddled.

But suddenly their attention was grabbed when a hooded creature with s on his temples started to give off a powerful lime green light from every crevice in his body, his eyes and mouth widened enormously as they filled with the blinding light, then the flash reached it's peak and was gone, leaving the body drained and dead against the ground.

"Up there!" shouted a hood with a small Z on his chin, his finger pointing to a nearby hill about 30 feet away, where a gargantuan ape stood on a buff black horse, with a smoking pistol in his bulky hand.

"Back to "Sabador forest"!" ordered the T guy with his gaze never leaving the hill. The hooded guys obediently disappeared into the dense tree filled forest, leaving their dead comrade where he lay.

The muscular ape at the top of the hill was scowling back down at him with his face set like stone, his arm placing the pistol back in it's hoister at his waist, his eyes never shifting from the hooded T creature far below him.

A smirk twitched on to the T hood's face. "You will die soon enough, Worren." he promised his voice gentle and almost under his breath. With that he took a long step back and was gone in the protection of the dark Sabador forest.

"No, you're the one who will die, Butch…." replied Worren low in his throat, his lengthy glare still focused in the spot the shadow creature had stood.

"That was an amazing shot, Captain! I didn't know shadow demons gave off a lime green light before they died! That's the second time you've killed a "Shadow Demon", and no one's ever killed a "Shadow Demon" before, except you." praised a scrawny, orange ape smiling and nodding brightly.

"No, it's only the first time I've killed a "Shadow Demon"; I shot Butch right in his heart last time we fought it was a fatal blow, I was sure I had disposed of him once and for all, but only a few years later I find not only is he still alive, he's more powerful then ever!"

"Oh, right, the "Shadow Demon" with the glowing green T's on his cheeks named Butch, the one that killed your father." Replied the orange ape in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I told you never to speak of that! Must I remind you, Safu!" roared Worren, grabbing the orange ape by his orange chest fur and holding him up to his snarling face.

"Sorry Captain! I'm sure you'll kill Butch very soon, you can just shoot him with that "gan"." Stated Safu in fear.

"It's called a "gun"! Given to me by my father! The only one of it's kind left on the planet, it's from the past when those despicable humans used to dominate the planet." Worren's rabid narrow wide eyed stare grew tender as it moved to gaze at the pistol being raised up in his free hand. "It only has four bullets left, and I've promised myself that one of which will take the life of the filthy, flea-bitten, "Shadow Demon" Butch! And this time he will die!" boomed Worren, slamming Safu to the ground and caressing the pistol tenderly in both hands, and watching his blurry reflection against it's silver barrel.

No one has a exact record or date of when it happened, but apes managed to take control of the entire planet with the element of surprise on their side, after all, who could have guessed that all of a sudden all the apes would show their true intelligence and start a war. In the end the apes were victorious. So now the apes are the dominant species of the earth, they are faster and stronger then ordinary humans. The only exceptions are Shadow Demon humans who are far superior then the apes, but there are only few of them. Most all human technology such as cars, electricity, CD players, heaters, stoves, etc, were destroyed by the apes, because they feared the humans would use these things to over power them. Occasionally "lost technology" will be found, but it is exceedingly rare, and even so, most humans are ignorant of their usefulness, but the technology is likely to be useless once it is finally uncovered. However if a rare case occurs where an item is not broken and the human knows how to use it, they still will lack the materials necessary to replicate the item

The humans that don't wish to become an ape's house-pet must use their wits to out smart the apes, but the human's greatest weapon against the apes is water.

The ape's bodies were not designed for swimming so they sink right to the bottom, so they naturally fear water greatly, which is why humans build their homes near, by, or on the water. Most humans in the world live in small villages and hardly ever have contact with humans from other communities. The humans that live in Sabador forest live in a fort that is surrounded on all sides by a man made moat, with a wood blockade ten feet high to protect them further from the ape's rampages. But the small fort has limited food, shelter and space which cause conflicts that usually break out into small riots which occur on daily bases, so some humans choose to live apart from the chaotic human community.

Human's had to learn to live all naturally like in the good old days...but life isn't very simple.

Now it begins

In a small clearing in the "Sabador forest" there is a small wood house that is tied to a large wood raft, which looks like a floating log cabin smack in the middle of a large river bank, near a titanic waterfall.

A barely 14 year old boy with short black hair that spiked out in random messy directions, with pointy bangs that came down past his forehead and into his bright lemon-lime green eyes. His small torso was wearing a gray shirt, with sleeves that were attached by safety pins, with brown elbow-long gloves made from the same rough material as his shoes. With torn and ripped loose black pants tied to his waist by a thick black rope tied into a bow in the front.

The boy slides a thick quilt aside from the doorway in the little one room raft house and takes a step out. His face blank, as his vacant lime-green eyes scan the surrounding 15 foot deep, transparent, clean green-blue waters that made his floating home an island. Gleaming scaled fish shine like colorful gold as the gentle sun filters through the leaves of the lengthy branches.

"Rath!" hollers a stern female voice from inside the house.

"Yah, mother?" replied Rath dryly, his gaze still focused on the fish infested deep waters.

"I told you not to go anywhere with out me knowing where you're going." stated Rath's mother sharply.

"I'm staying around our "territory." Lied Rath, flinging himself into the cool smothering water arms first. His eyes opened up quickly to stare down at the darkening shades of green turn into blue as the waters sink further down. Then his feet begin to kick and his hands and body glide him through the waters, and he shoots on to the shore like a bullet.

Most humans in these times can swim as fast, or faster then they can run. People that don't embrace and make allies with water are quickly caught.

"Be back soon, it is your birthday!" called R.M. her voice taking in a slightly tender tone, as her deep violet eyes watch Rath slip leisurely into the dark forest, then her jaws and eyes clench shut as she clutches her stomach in pain and hunches over letting a weak moan slip out. She wore a fluffy brown robe over an old white dress that had laces running the length of the front, the dangling ends of the dress were tied to her legs like pants to prevent it from dragging on the ground or trip her when she went hunting, which she hadn't done for a while now.

"Damn, my condition's getting worse….." she growls through her tightly compacted jaws, her hip-long straight silver-white hair bordering around her face as it twisted in pain. Her thick bangs dangling almost over her squeezed eyes.

Rath had only walked a few miles away from his "territory" when he heard something coming toward him from behind, without turning around he grabs hold of a thick tree trunk and promptly climbs up into the high branches, as the noise rushed closer, then "SWOOP!" a unusually large, black crow lands on the branch in front of Rath.

"Scope! You scared the crap out of me!" Rath never knew why the crow he named Scope always fallowed him around, but it always did ever since he could remember, but it hardly ever made contact with him, and it wasn't very affectionate(nothing now a days was affectionate anyway) but it always kept a watchful eye on him.

Scope dropped a small heavy card board box in Rath's lap, it flew off on soundless delicate wings. Rath blinked down bewilderedly at the gift. The crow had never done that before. He picked up the box and it fit in the palm of his hand, then pried opened one flap and peeked inside to find silver bullets ( there is only one gun left in the world, so bullets are the rarest and most valuable thing a person could have besides a actual gun of course, even though most humans and apes don't know what a gun is)

"What the hell is this?" exclaimed Rath, holding one of the bullets up to his face, which were as long as his pinky.

" This must be lost technology from years ago, back when humans were the dominant species of the earth." Exclaimed Rath in aw, his mouth hanging slightly ajar as he gazed deeply at the cold heavy sleek thing.

Then the bushes under the 30-foot tree Rath sat sprawled in began to rustle. He promptly slid the bullets in his pants pocket and took out his trusty pocketknife, pulling out the biggest, double-edged, blade, and prompted himself on all fours with his head bowed with focused eyes directed at the ground.

Bounding out of the bushes came a deer three times bigger then a normal full-grown deer, and it had a stunning, glossy, brown coat that shone even with the limited sunlight.

"Wow…." cooed Rath with fixated wide lime green eyes (most animals were extinct, since the apes wanted to be the dominate species of the earth they wiped out most all other species, meat-eating animals were the first to go, then all the herbivores. The apes had no use for animals, except horses and oxen for working purposes, since apes are vegetarian. For more intellectual labor, the apes used humans. But it will only be a matter of time before the apes try to wipe out the human raise as well, but they know it will be difficult, because humans won't die off as easily as the other species.)

Then Rath noticed that the deer had a dark red stain on her, it looked like a deep gash.

Rath clung on to the tree's thick branch then swung his body gently against the tree trunk and slid down with one arm clinging to the trunk and his feet skidding down beneath him. "Are you alright?" he asked gently, as his feet silently met the ground. Rath took small steps toward her slowly, hoping she wouldn't run, but the deer simply turned to glance at him dauntlessly her dark eyes deeply tranquil, as she bent her swan like neck down and began to nibble a small patch of unhealthy yellow-gold grass.

Just when Rath was within arms length of the deer something sprang out of the bushes and tackled him onto his back. The creature moved so swiftly Rath would have sworn he had been tackled by a yellow, black spotted, fur ball.

The creature swung a clawed paw at his face, but Rath kicked the creature off of him before it had a chance to make impact with his face, then he sprang back to his feet, standing between the deer and the leopard furred monster.

"Go away from deer!" hissed an angry young girl voice, coming from the leopard skinned creature, but now Rath had a good look at the animal and realized it was only a girl about eleven years old, wearing the hallowed out leopard skin like a cloak, with the leopard's head as a hood, the front of the leopard cloak hung open so you could see she had on a furry brown sleeveless shirt, and brown strips of rags that made-up a skirt dangling from her waist down almost all the way to her knees. Tied to the back of her hands were jagged sharp, black, spears that made her look like she had claws. She also had short brown hair and no shoes. Her fists where in the air with her claws read to strike.

"I'm not going to let you eat this deer! It's one of the few animals this earth has left!" snapped Rath as he spread his arms out at his sides, his lime green eyes glaring intensely.

"You say….no want eat deer?" asked the girl, her savage face growing blank and her head cocked to one side curiously.

"That's right and I'm not going to let you eat her either!" replied Rath, still protectively standing in front of the deer; who was still eating peacefully like she didn't notice the scuffle happening.

"Trankuility, come" cooed the cat girl sweetly, then to Rath's astonishment the deer stopped it's munching, picked up it's head and galloped happily to the cat girl's side.

"Oh I get it, it's a scam, you purposely put the red stain on the deer to lure creatures to her, so you can eat the creatures that try to eat her, like a worm on a hook." Said Rath, still on the defensive side.

"My name Miu, and this Trankuility." Said Miu, petting Trankuility down her head, Trankuility would be about three times taller then Rath if she stood on her hind legs.

"A cat and a deer working together….never would have thought of that." Replied Rath blandly.

Then Miu's fur stuck up (even though it wasn't her own) she raised her chin, got up on her tip-toes and sniffed the air and then landed down on all fours, with a long hiss seething from her throat.

"That "bounty of apes" in forest! FLEE!" exclaimed Miu as she pounced like a cat and landed softly on Trankuility's back, the deer jetting off like a graceful blur.

Mostly everyone lived by the rules of sabador forest; all for one and one for all/ survival of the fittest and smartest.

Rath remained where he stood like a statue, his arms hanging loose by his sides and his silent gaze still peering out where Miu and Trankquility had slipped away to.

"The bounty of apes" runs through the "sabador forest" capturing humans to sell for profit.

Rath closed his eyes gently with his dark sharp lashes against his cheeks, then folded his arms impatiently across his middle.

Rath's six senses filled with anxiety as something stalked up from behind him, they screamed at him to run or attack, but Rath wouldn't allow himself to budge. After what seemed like an eternity, a huge pair of hairy arms wrapped around his torso and lifted him off the ground, and his back was held tightly against an ape's firm armored chest, like it was giving Rath a big bear hug from behind. Rath instincts automatically told him to struggle against the ape's firm grip, but getting captured was the easiest way to get into the ape's village, even though it was degrading.

"That's right come quietly and I won't have to do the honor of beating the senses out of you." Sneered the ape's mocking voice. (We'll call this ape ape #2)

Rath's heart raced in fiery spite. "If you don't shut up soon you're not going to be able to reproduce…." he snarled under his breath. Rath didn't believe in killing and never killed a single creature in his life (his mother killed fish and cooked it but that's all the meat he ever ate), why kill someone if you can make their entire life a living hell? Torture was always the best method.

Just when Rath felt he couldn't contain his contempt, he was shoved into an itchy burlap sack. Rath jerked around inside, till he brought himself into a twisted slumped sitting position, then he brought out his pocket knife and stabbed a small eye hole in the side. Then the sack was lifted up and swung around in mid air, making Rath dig his nails and clench handfuls of the sack as the speed increased. Finally the movements slowed to a normal pace and Rath peeked out the hole to see a large clearing in front directly in front of the enormous stone wall which surrounded the ape village. There were a few dozen clusters of warrior apes grunting and muttering to one another. These weren't "bounty of apes" these were "warrior apes".

"Did you find anything?" asked ape 1, as ape 2 walked out of Sabador forest.

"No, but I did find a human child, it's better then coming back empty handed." Replied ape two proudly.

"It's not putting up a fight, which means it's either sick and or injured, so it won't be worth DIRT!" roared ape 1 insultingly.

"SHUT UP!" roared ape 2 angrily, as he dropped the burlap sack and attacked ape 1 in rage (apes claim to be more evolved and tame then humans, but they are basically at the same low level; violent and stupid.)

Then ape 1 let out an eardrum piercing roar of pain, then he held his bloody hand out, which now only had empty stubs where there should have been fingers.

"If all the apes on this force are as pathetic as you two then it's no wonder we haven't found the "Shadow demon's" hiding place…" snarled the unmistakably harsh voice of the captain of the ape army, and the ape's village Governor, Worren, as he licked the warm copper tasting blood from his sword's blade clean off.

"Ha, no kcufing way you dratsabs will ever find the Shadow Demon's hiding place…." snickered Rath to himself, a satisfied smirk curling one corner of his lips smugly. Rath idolized the "shadow demons", even though most humans along with apes feared them immensely. Rath's mother continually told him they were dirty, bloodthirsty, monsters, but it didn't matter to Rath, they were the only force that fought triumphantly against the apes, and that's all that counted.

"Those damn Shadow Demons are ruining this Community's reputation and keeping tourists away! Not to mention eating our people! And as the community's governor this makes me look like horse-shit!" boomed Worren in blinding rage.

Ape two took a few slow steps backward and picked up the burlap sack. "Well Sir, I did manage to catch a human child." he said nervously.

"One filthy human child can't make up for even an arm of a Shadow Demon!" roared Worren grabbing the sack from ape 2.

"You're all as worthless as "It" is!" spat Worren, slamming the bag to the ground, Rath braced the impact with his arms and legs and now they were beginning to sting with pain. His brain seemed to spin in his skull and he began to crawl blindly forward from the sack.

When Rath opened his eyes he found himself starring up at Worren, the meanest, ugliest looking ape you would hopefully never have to see. Worren eye's were wide and narrow, but not in rage as they normally where, they seemed almost petrified in fear as he stared silently down at the boy on his hands and knees.

"What the hell is this?..." muttered Worren lowly with a bit of hostility, as he reached down one hand and grabbed Rath from the front of his neck and raised him up to his face.

Rath shut his eyes tightly, he felt his throat closing in yet he kept totally calm and his body made no suggestion that he was the least bit afraid, as his hand began to reach slowly for his pocketknife, it was his only chance of survival if Worren planned to kill him.

"Open your eyes, OPEN THEM!" ordered Worren squeezing Rath's neck even more then he was, forcing a gurgling groan from his throat.

Rath could easily enough stab Worren with his pocketknife, but if he did Worren would probably not flinch long enough for him to get away and Worren would definitely kill him dead right there, and he would never be able to get into the ape village, so Rath decided to give the psychopath what he wanted, and he opened his eyelids, but made sure not to look into Worren's eyes, ape's didn't like to be looked in the eyes by humans.

Worren examined Rath's face slowly and carefully, with his vice like grip never slacking, then he finally let released his hold suddenly, and Rath landed down on his butt and began inhaling violent greedy amounts of air.

"…assjack…" muttered Rath between breaths (all swear words are spelled and said differently, cause that's how you swear in the future, and it keeps the rating for this story low, plus it's funnier that way

Worren didn't seem to hear the insult, yet his cold studious gaze was still on the boy. "Why did you let yourself get caught so easily if you really are…" began Worren thoughtfully, but an approaching horse stopped his train of thought.

"Worren, you're needed at the "meeting house" said Safu, stopping his horse in front of Worren, separating the ape from the boy.

"I'm on my way, and Safu, take that human to my home and keep a powerful watch on him." ordered Worren strictly, jumping on his black buff steed.

"Should we get him "tagged" with your symbol?" asked Safu picking a beetle out of his fur and popping it in his mouth.

"Yes." he answered, then turned an ominous glare down at Rath. "I'll be watching you…" just before he rode off on his might horse.

"What bit your ass and gave you rabies?" muttered Rath glaring sourly as Worren stomped away..

"Oh my badness, no wonder Worren looked so shaken! You look just like…" began Safu when his horse with out warning bucked up on its hind legs, throwing Safu off it's back.

"Err…curse you Charl!" growled Safu scowling at his brown horse, then got up, dusted himself up then began walking toward Rath, but he froze when Rath lifted a hostile glare up at him.

"Um...Cerfee, please take the human to Worren's house for me…I have to…go to an appointment…." stuttered Safu, backing away from Rath with fear growing rapidly in his eyes, which were still locked on Rath's loath filled lemon-lime eyes.

"Better hurry! Before you wet your fur!" mocked Cerfee, as the other three apes snickering and jeering along with him. Safu was too frightened to comment as he pounced upon his horse and rushed away leaving a heavy cloud of dust.

"What did they think it looked like?" asked ape 2 to the three other apes (ape 1 went to get his wound treated in the village, before he got gangrene)

"I don't know, all humans look the same to me." replied Cerfee starring at Rath along with the other three apes, while Rath scowled back at them with silent irked eyes. Rath hates having the spot light on him, especially with apes.

"He doesn't look scary to me, his eye color is unusual but that's about all." commented ape 3 peering into Rath's hostile bright lemon lime green eyes.

Rath couldn't handle the deep stares any longer and blurted out. "Shouldn't you take me to your village already!" more as a demand then a suggestion.

"Shut up you little vermin! If you didn't belong to Worren I would beat you for talking back to an ape!" spat ape 3 aggressively.

Rath's eyes flashed wide in shock, but not from the threat." WHAT!" then his eyes grew dull and bitter. " Just my luck I would end up belonging to the most, insane, holeass ape there is." he muttered to himself.

"We better get to the village already, I hear the "shadow demons" kill ape's during the day now, not only at night." stated ape 2 grabbing Rath roughly by the back of his shirt and dragging him along as Rath fought against his forceful pulling and managed to stay on his feet as they skidded forward, until he was lifted up and dropped into a wood cage in the back of a wagon.

"what the hell did those dumb apes think I looked like?" wondered Rath out loud, as the titanic gates of the huge 90-foot stonewall which confined the ape village opened up for the wagon and the marching apes.

Rath's vivid lemon-lime green eyes wondered all over the huge village, there was so many houses, big ones, small ones and even enormous mansions. Stores of every kind, hospitals, schools, barber-shops, and even more. It caused Rath's hate for apes to burn even brighter thinking about how comfortably the apes lived, while all the other species suffered, starved and died away.

The ape's community was about a million times bigger then the human's chaotic, dilapidated community, ironically apes learned how to build, farm, cook and almost everything else from the humans……

Rath continued to gaze around, he let out a small sigh, and with a determined chin he uttered. "Finding her won't be easy…..Liberty…."

Please review in detail what things confused you, or things that can be improved.

You'll find out about Liberty in the next chapter.

Thank you


	2. Liberty and Justice for all

Liberty and Justice for all?

Rath's mother climbed the rope stairs that led high up a huge oak tree where Rath had a wood tree house he always used to play in with his comrade (friend's were extinct, you either had enemies or comrades; comrades who had no real loyalty towards you but they didn't hate you) but R.M. always believed that Rath had a real friend, not a comrade, her name was Liberty.

Little Liberty had it harder then most other children even in these difficult times, at 3 years old she watched as her parents were killed, at four years old R.M. found her still alive after spending a few years on her own in the "Sabador Forest", impressed R.M. allowed the traumatized young girl to live with her and Rath, but just when Liberty was beginning to warm up to them...her life took another turn……..

R.M. awoke that morning with an unexplained fast pacing heart and anxiety she couldn't place, and some unseen cloud of dread was hanging over her head throughout the entire day. So she was quick to grow into a wave of worry when Rath didn't return home by the time the pure night darkness settled down among the trees. There was not many other places he could have gone, they rarely went to the human villages, (they didn't have much to offer, and Rath was not social) and he had no comrades.

"Rath are you up here?" hollered R.M. scanning the small wood structure. The place had a wood platform to stand on and a wood platform above to block the rain, snow and other weather, but the little place had no walls not even rails to keep you from falling from the platform, which stood 35 feet up the huge oak tree.

Then her studious and concerned eyes landed on the portrait of Rath and Liberty; they were both five years old and they had their arms over each other's shoulder, both wearing small bashful grins, and vacant eyes older then themselves. R.M. had drawn the picture herself, using rare items; paper and pencil, which usually only apes posses. The portrait was framed with small twigs and stood up on its own.

A deep sigh escaped R.M.'s lips as she turned away from the picture, not wanting to remember the good times from the past, because it would only get her down. Feeling crestfallen and a great deal worse, she turned and was about ready to leave when she noticed a message carved into the wood base of the tree house, it read.

"Mothr dont wory abot me I hav to do somthing il be bak soun. Rath"

Just then "SWOOP" something came down at her like a blade.

Her eyes turned to concentrated tiny balls as she swung her head around, her long silver white hair whipping gently against her. "Scope!" gasped R.M., her muscles unclenching and her shoulders sagging down with the intense expression instantly washing away.

Then her eyes grew intense once again. "Where's Rath?" she demanded her gaze piercing sternly into crow's black, shiny eyes, and she found the answer within the dark ink drops. Her wide violet eyes closed slowly and a ragged breath steamed out from her lungs.

"Does his father know?" asked R.M. looking back into Snipe's round eyes.

After another moment she let out a small ragged exhale. "I see, thank you for informing me." with that Scope sprang from the branch and took off, camouflaged in the darkness of the night.

Almost instantly after R.M.'s eyes bulged and her arms gently wrapped around her abdomen, and she wheezed till her knees brought her to the floor. home….safe…" she utters between sharp raspy breaths.

EARLY NEXT MORNING

The three apes are holding Rath down. Two held his legs, and the other held his arms above his head, as a fourth one approached with a sharp knife held in his grasp.

Rath's impassive lime green eyes leisurely watched as the blade came closer to his face, his breathing was calm and inaudible, and his body's only movement was from his slow shallow breaths.

"Why are we holding him down? He's not fidgeting at all." commented the ape that held Rath's arms bent above his head.

"Yes, maybe it's brain-dead. I've never seen a human stay so calm before getting "tagged"." added one of the apes holding his legs.

"He knows what's happening. Just look at the way his eyes watch the blade. Besides, once I begin to cut Worren's symbol\signature in the forehead it'll begin to go wild." explained the ape holding the blade, as he reaches his free hand out to grab hold of Rath's head.

"It'll just leave a small scar...and you'll be branded for Worren" he added.

Rath's bright eyes lowered, then his head and shoulders swung far to the left, dodging the hand, then his head raised up and head-butted the ape holding the knife.

"AGUGH!" the ape shouted as it jerked backward.

Rath's arms then jerked free from the one ape kneeling above him, zapping into a sitting position his fists smashed into the faces of the apes holding onto his legs.

"UGH! KCUF!" they cried as they released his legs and cradled their bleeding faces. Rath was on his feet; he then swooped down and stole the knife out of the ape's hand. He pointed it at them as he backed away toward the open door, of the small one room shack with a big roaring fireplace, and gleaming sharp tools hanging from every inch of the wood walls. The apes got to their feet but kept their distance as they watched him step swiftly to the exit.

"wow, this was easy." exclaimed Rath almost snickering, when two huge arms wrapped around his arms from behind by a newly arriving ape.

His arms were pressed tightly to his sides unable to move, and the knife hung uselessly in his balled up fists near his knee.

"Oh, a smart ass, huh?"(ass is not a swear word, it is apart of most creature's body) spat an ape swinging out a whip from his belt and approached Rath.

"Wow, make sure not to hit me!" cried the ape holding Rath securely.

Rath blinked as the huge fuming ape raised the whip, but just before he could crack it down at him a giant black shadow plunged at the ape.

"CAGH! GAWW!" screeched the dark winged beast, as stabbed its sharp sleek beak at the ape's eyes.

"Get this crazy bird away from me!" shrieked the ape in terror, as he blocked his eyes with one arm, and swung his other arm in the air hoping to hit Scope with his long whip. Accidentally smacking his fellow apes with the whip, as they flailed around him.

"STOP! WATCH IT! We're trying to help you so stop whipping us!"

Rath took this chaotic opportunity to kick backwards, nailing the ape containing him in the goods, who promptly released Rath and clutched at his injured goods.

"OOH! NASTY BEAST!" the ape cursed. "GET THE HUMAN! THE HUMAN!" the ape's cries melting in with the disorderly frantic cries of his fellow apes.

Rath's legs rushed toward the door of the shack, when a thick rope fell around his neck and he was yanked backwards falling flat onto his side.

"You're not going no-where, yah little parasite!" growled another ape, pulling Rath toward him by the rope cutting the air from Rath's body. Rath glared as one hand clenched the rope and the other groped for his pocketknife in his pants. But the ape had already lugged Rath up to him and grabbed a big-handful of his messy spiked-up jet-black hair and brought his face up to his snarling one.

"Not so tough now are you!" jeered the ape, bearing his wide smelly yellow teeth.

"Put him down now!" a young female voice cut through the noisy shack. The voice belonged to a scrawny 13 year old, blonde haired ape girl, with her clenched fists held at her hips and cross glaring eyes. She almost looked human, except for the light colored fur all over her body and her face was a bit long making almost a muzzle.

Silence instantly replaced the ruckus, the huge crow disappeared, and the ape obediently let the rope and Rath's hair go. With the pressure on his neck slackened Rath quickly loosened the rope around his throat and clouded his lungs back up with fresh air as he slipped the loop over his head and tossed it away from him.

"This human is not to be "tagged." proclaimed the girl firmly, as she took a few steps toward where Rath sat hunched over on the floor concentrating on stealing as much air as he could inhale.

"But your father said…" began an ape.

"SHUT THE KCUF UP!" snapped back the girl ape, her scowling eyes stabbing into the ape's loath fully.

She made it up to Rath, and knelt down beside him. "come on now, I'll take you home." she cooed tenderly with a bright grin crossing her lips. as she peered into his intense, fierce eyes.

Rath's fierce eyes trailed slowly into hers. "Don't look at me…" he snarled viciously. Yet the ape girl's bright grin and milky soft eyes did not flinch.

FEW MINUTES LATER

Huge double doors swung open at once, and in the door way stood the girl ape with Rath a few feet beside her.

"This is your new home." she announced brightly. "And I'm Zimmer, by the way." she added as she took a few steps into enormous place.

Zimmer's mansion was unreal to Rath, the walls were white and didn't look like they were made of rotting, old timber and the floors were slick and smooth, the ceiling was high above his head, not barely touching it like most human buildings. The smells of different herbs filled the rooms with their delicate, sweet scent, other then that the monstrous house was almost completely empty, except for large pieces of redwood furniture and many stacked cardboard boxes.

"Everything's empty because we just moved here. Come, I'll show you my room." said Zimmer chipperly, she treated Rath like just another ape not like a human, and he couldn't understand how Zimmer could be so confident that he wouldn't run away, even now she had her back turned to him. Did it not strike her that he could easily turn around and run out the door? Or stab her in the back (literally)

Zimmer jumped five feet in the air and landed half way up the ten foot, slightly spiral, elegantly wide, stair case, with green leaf patterned carpet running down the middle of it, but too skinny to cover the wideness of the stairs.

"Well come on don't be timid." Giggled Zimmer playfully, looking down at Rath from up the stairs.

Even though he wanted to explore the second level of the freakishly large mansion, Rath didn't like doing what a ape told him to do, so he just stood near the foot of the stairs like a statue, his eyes fixed on the entrance area to another room, he didn't have any intention on going to the other room, but he just wanted to focus his attention on something else besides Zimmer, so she would know he was ignoring her and had no respect for her what so ever.

"Oh I get it; you haven't had much contact with apes so you're afraid of me." Suggest Zimmer almost in a mocking kind of tone.

Rath realized she was just trying to goat him on, so he would prove her wrong by walking up the steps, so he decided not to humor her and ignore her comment.

"Don't be such a stiff!" beleaguered Zimmer rolling her eyes in disappointment.

Rath exhaled loudly then began slowly walking up the steps, just when he was three steps away from Zimmer, the door slammed open and Worren stepped in the mansion.

Rath felt like he had been caught stealing a diamond, like an intruder, and he hated the feeling.

"Zimmer! I thought I told you to lock that damn thing in the closet!" roared Worren aggressively.

"Patience is a damn virtue…." Vented Zimmer with clenched teeth, frustrated.

ALMOST MIDNIGHT

Rath was cutting the ropes that held the small, wood cage he was in together. He could barely stretch his legs out in it, and the top of the cage touched his head when he sat up, and it was impossible to lie down, it was way too cramped.

"Finally…" sighed Rath kicking his cage door open easily, and slightly opened the door to the small closet he was in.

There was a one-way hallway with two doors on each side of it.

Rath noticed he was holding his breath, so he took a deep breath, calmed his nerves, and surreptitiously walked past the first door mutely, then just as he was about to pass the second door, it flung open and Worren stood starring down at Rath, while he starred back up at him.

"How dare you defy me! You filthy little creature!" roared Worren grabbing Rath by the neck tightly, and holding Rath's face an inch away from his.

Rath couldn't even get a drop of air in his lungs, desperately he tried to claw Worren's hand off his neck, which just made him even more pissed, and he tightened his grip even more. Worren definitely had experience at strangling people, an evil pleased grin snaked up his face as he did so.

"WORREN!" shouted Zimmer, she was wearing a light pink nightgown, as she stood in terror, watching Worren strangle the hell out of Rath.

"This doesn't involve you Zimmer!" spat Worren irritated, as if he was merely squashing a grape.

"But…I let him out….I was going to put him back…" lied Zimmer, biting her bottom lip tensely.

Worren glanced down at her, then at Rath, then let Rath go, which made him fall to the ground on his butt and he struggled to catch his breath, for the millionth time in two days!

"Then you put him back." Commanded Worren finally getting a hold of himself, then he tossed a rope to Zimmer.

"You're lucky my daughter was here to save your sorry ass, but if you ever disobey me again, I'll beat you till you beg me to kill you…." Threatened Worren in Rath's ear before strutting off like a big shit.

"Wash your hands once you're done…" ordered Worren before disappearing in a room.

"Are you damaged?" asked Zimmer, putting her hands on Rath's back comfortingly, while he continued to struggle to catch his breath.

"I don't blame you for wanting to get out of that small, hot, closet. You can stay in my room if you want." Offered Zimmer, smiling friendly.

Rath nodded his head with out looking at Zimmer, knowing that Zimmer would have a window in her room…..

MIDNIGHT

It took a while till Rath confidently believed Zimmer was fast asleep, he would think any normal creature would find it difficult to sleep with a stranger in their room, but she was odd and never seemed to have any worries at all.

Zimmer's room was bigger then roughly 30 of Rath's little, log, floaty house put together. Near Zimmer's bed was a large, white, oak pine, heavy as hell desk, which Rath was tied loosely by the neck to, Liberty had left the softest quilt and goose feathered pillows next to the desk for Rath to sleep on, but he was way too proud and stubborn, so he had sat up and waited a few hours for her to sleep.

Plus if he had laid down on the heavenly soft pillows and quilt he would have probably fallen asleep in less then ten minutes, he was exhausted, but his will to achieve his goal kept him going. Unfortunately the window; which was the means of Rath's escape, was directly above Zimmer's bed, were she slept soundly with a monkey-stuffed animal in her arms, Rath would have to get through the window with out waking Zimmer.

"Always has to be hard doesn't it?" groaned Rath eyeing the window as he cut the rope easily off his neck and walked silently over to Zimmer's nicely cushioned bed. He got on the white bedpost and slid the window open soundlessly, and was about to sneak out when---" You sly-boots…." Cackled Zimmer meekly.

Rath looked down at Zimmer passively, who starred up at him with a sly, bright, smile on her face.

"I'm screwed…." Rath sighed deeply, closing his eyes in defeat.

"OH, don't worry, I won't tell on you." Promised Zimmer, Rath looked at her with untrusting eyes, then started out the window.

"Wait…" Zimmer whispered jumping out of her bed and grabbing a black cloak from her closet.

"You can't just go out there like that, humans aren't allowed to be on the streets with out a leash, so what do you think they'll do to a ordinary, untagged human walking alone?" questioned Zimmer, handing the cloak to Rath.

"I'm in your debt." Replied Rath solemnly and with out looking at her, then he jumped out the window landing quietly on the roof below him, then jumping down to the ground a graceful as a cat.

"Worren, he left…" said Zimmer bluntly to Worren who was waiting outside her door.

"Excellent…" snickered Worren, a sinister grin on his face.

Rath slipped the cloak's hood over his head and opened the large gate around the mansion, and walked along the empty, lamp lit dirt road, that was bordered on both sides by ape homes, and buildings.

"I'll find her if it takes me all damn night!" thought Rath, when something landed on his shoulder.

"Scope, what the hell are you doing, you'll give away my identity." Whispered Rath as he looked around, but saw no one on the streets. Scope began flying slowly in front of Rath, as if telling him to fallow. Rath shrugged his shoulders and decided to fallow him. Scope eventually leads him to an enormous, white mansion.

Rath quickly jumped the large, wood gate, and ran silently to one of the windows, which was locked, taking a flat, long metal knife from his pocketknife Rath slid it under the bottom of the glass window, which opened it. Rath slid open the window and fell on a soft as hell coach in the darkness of the mansion.

Just as he got up some one grabbed him roughly from behind, and held a switchblade to his throat.

"Ok, you dratsab, what are you doing sneaking into old, female ape's house's in the middle of the night!" demanded a strict, serious, young, female voice.

"Liberty?….is that you?" asked Rath looking blindly in the darkness, even though he couldn't see her even if it wasn't so dark cause his back was turned from her.

"Rath!" gasped Liberty dropping her switchblade in disbelief.

"Yah, it's me." Replied Rath turning around, barely able to see her in the darkness.

"Rath!….I missed you sooo much!" exclaimed Liberty, hugging Rath as tight as she possibly could, which made Rath feel as though his lungs were going to cave in from the pressure. Liberty was always extremely rough, but you'd never be able to tell just by looking at her. Rath didn't have to be able to see to know Liberty was crying, somehow he just knew.

"What's wrong?…..did those sons of hctibs hurt you! Do you want me to slit their throats and stuff them full of leaves?" asked Rath holding Liberty closer, surprised by the rush of emotions flowing through him at the same time, he usually didn't feel any emotions.

"No…I just missed you soo much! I can't believe it's been three years…since the "bounty of apes" kidnapped me while we were playing in the forest." Whispered Liberty still holding Rath, as Rath held her too.

"Well what the hell are we waiting for? Let's get out of here!" replied Rath anxiously, grabbing Liberty by the hand, and heading for the window, but Liberty quickly took her hand out of his grip.

"What's a matter?" asked Rath confused.

"Rath, I can't go….the old ape lady…she…treats me extremely well and cares for me…" stuttered Liberty, unable to find the right words to explain.

"Soo…you want me to slit her throat?…." asked Rath squinting his eyes in confusion.

"NO!…I…I just can't leave her….both my parents are dead, she's my only family, and she needs me…I have nothing in the forest…" explained Liberty solemnly, turning her face away from Rath.

""What about me? Am I "NOTHING!" demanded Rath furiously.

"You mean everything to me….but…." Liberty trailed off, unable to make Rath comprehend the obligation she felt toward the old ape lady.

"FINE BE A PET!" screamed Rath as loud as he possibly could, just seconds after he did the room was lit up and an old ape lady screamed loud enough for the entire planet to hear her.

"Oh kcuf!" whimpered Rath hearing heavy footsteps approaching the house rapidly.

"Let's go!" shouted Rath grabbing Liberty's hand, and tried to force her to come with him, while the apes tried to break the mighty door down in order to get inside.

"Rath, I'm not going!" shouted Liberty, pulling away from him, just as the mob of apes burst into the mansion, Rath turned around to find at least 20 apes had come into the mansion, they all gasped when they laid eyes on Rath covered in a black cloak, his face hidden mysteriously under his hood.

"AAAHHH A SHADOW DEMON! RUN FOR YOUR POINTLESS LIVES!" screamed an ape, as all of the apes squeezed their way out the large, but not large enough to squeeze 20 apes out at the same time, door way.

"Stop being stupid!" roared Rath grabbing Liberty by her wrist, and pulling her out the door.

"Let go Rath!" ordered Liberty trying to pry his extremely firm grip off her wrist, then Liberty looked up and screamed "NOOO!" as she pushed Rath out of the way, just as a warrior ape came behind Rath and just about sliced him in half.

Rath fell to the ground on his back, his hood falling off, and he dragged Liberty down with him.

"Liberty! Did he hurt you!" demanded Dr. Lenox/the old ape lady pacing toward Liberty as fast as her frail, old body would allow her, Dr. Lenox helped Liberty to her feet and looked over her to see if she was hurt, then gave her a relieved hug, like if she was her mother.

Rath's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped in disbelief, and jealousy, of how his best friend could be treating that filthy, stinky, hairy, stupid creature with such tenderness and love.

"What were those idiots babbling about? He's not a "shadow demon" it's just a human child!" remarked a ape as he and another warrior ape picked Rath up, each holding him by one of his arms.

Rath just hung his head as low as it could go, and soaked in toxicity…..

"How could Liberty do this to me!" cursed Rath in his head, but his anger quickly disappeared and was replaced by fear when he heard Worren's harsh voice.

"Oh, kcuf Worren's going to kill me, slowly and painfully…not that it matters anymore…" groaned Rath shutting his eyes tightly, excepting his cruel fate.

"What the hell happened here!" demanded Worren with his usual grim scowl on his face, as he looked around at all the chaos.

"Well, this little beast, broke into Dr. Lenox's home, just about scarred the poor old thing to death." Explained an ape glaring down at Rath.

"Really?…." replied Worren in a strange, surprised, confused, and not at all angry tone, as he stared down at Rath blankly.

"I'll take care of the human…" stated Worren, tying a thick rope around Rath's neck, Rath still hung his head low and made no effort to resist.

"No! Dr. Lenox don't let them take him!" pleaded Liberty running toward Rath, but three warrior apes held her back.

"Dr. Lenox, keep your human under control." Ordered a warrior ape coldly, as it restrained Liberty.

"WAIT! Worren, I'll buy the human from you, just name your price." Offered Dr. Lenox, walking up to Worren, who didn't even turn around or stop walking, as he pulled Rath along with him.

"Not for sale…" replied Worren impassively, as he continued walking.

"NOOOO!" screamed Liberty psychotically as she took one of the ape's, six times her size and 30 times her weight, that was restraining her and flipped him over her shoulder bashing him to the ground, then soccer kicked the other ape restraining her in his gut, by that time a warrior ape knocked her out with the back of his sword.

"YOU KCUFIN ASS DUMB! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HER!I'M GOING TO SEW THE KCUF OUT OF YOU!" blazed Dr. Lenox, you wouldn't think an ape of her age could scream nearly that loud.

Rath felt a ache of guilt for causing Liberty to go buzzeric, and getting herself knocked out, even though he didn't want to feel sorry for her, he wanted to hate her, but he couldn't, then his thoughts returned to what terrible, creative torturing methods Worren would use on him the second he arrives at his home…….

(Is Rath screwed? Most likely, the only way to be sure is to read the next chapter!)


	3. Don't run SWIM!

** Don't Run, SWIM! **

** MEETING HOUSE **

**At a round mahogany table, with animal furs layering every inch of the floor, and a hardy fire puffing in an oversized chimney, a dozen stern apes stare across from one another.**

**A fat ape across from the muscular Worren, begins the address. "Captain Worren, it has been five years and you still haven't disposed of the "Shadow Demon" problem, if we do not stop them now they will grow in numbers and it'll be chaos for other communities all over the globe!" His flabby cheeks flapped around his furry face as he spoke, his dark little eyes nearly hidden beneath the layers of sagging skin. "I being the major of the closest community to yours, I'm frankly have trouble sleeping at night!" slamming his large palms against the well polished wood.**

**Worren's remained unmoved, his austere eyes unblinking, and his jaw heavily set, as he spoke with conviction. "I will assure you, once again, that the situation is under my control. I have already set an ingenious plan in motion. One which will undoubtedly dispose of the "shadow demon" problem."**

**The smallest of the apes waves one lengthy arm in the air as if swatting an invisible fly. "You make it seem very simple. But what we are dealing with are not your typical wild humans. They glow, their strength is tremendous, they kill even their own kind! They are demonic, they are-" before his rant could grow peak any further, Worren interrupted in his cool monotone. This time he let a jeering laugh refill everyone's confidence. "I didn't realize our discussions were now turning into gossip sessions."**

**The group added their jeering laughter, and when it was done Worren added. "No, as amusing as these rumors are, they are totally inaccurate. These creatures are simply rabid humans that need to feel the iron smite of Ape!" his voice rose into a revolution, and he received much applause for his passion. But inside his dark thoughts turned in his head. "Soon these fools in the Community Council will never disrespecting my authority. My military force unit will soon be complete. I might even be able to use the "Shadow Demons" to destroy the other communities, making my land the most powerful and prosperous; soon the whole globe will be under my control…" A gracious grin curls the corners of his lips as he stares back into the eyes of his fellow apes. **

** meanwhile **

**Rath sat within a vacant broom closet, his wrists tied together behind his back with thick itchy rope, the slightest movement caused the thorn like splinters in the rope to bite into his carpals. He had thrashed and struggled against the rope only to get his flesh torn up. A red rash now burned all over his wrists, which he badly wished to caress with his tongue. **

**The only light he had came from the small space beneath the narrow mahogany door, it didn't bother him, he was used to doing most things by dim candle light, and he knew there wasn't anything in the closet to aid with his escape. So escape would have to wait, until an opportunity arose, then he'd get the hell away. Nothing could keep him at the Sabador town, the place reeked of ape, and the very thought of so many apes living and breathing all around him, made his guts cringe and twist within him.**

**He had sat in the closet for three days with no food or water, just his thoughts. Thoughts of his mother, and the precious possibility of escape, but mostly, he thought of Liberty. Even when he tried, he could not remember just how she was just before she was captured. Most all wild humans goals were alike, and at the most basic level was the animosity for the apes that dominated their existence. **

**Struggling to figure out just what had changed, achieved nothing. Her light blonde hair had grown denser, she was taller, her skin had a slight tan, these changes were mild, and he realized how much he missed looking at her. She still had a burning in her eyes, and could still stealthily sneak up on him. He had almost forgotten the way her natural scent wafted in the air around him, the intensity of her words in the rare times she chose to speak, and the empathy in her purple eyes when they peered into his.**

**Rath bashed the side of his head against the wall his shoulder reclined against. How could, his only friend choose a stinky, old, ugly, pig-dog ape over him? It drove him mad.**

**At first he felt like giving up, he wasn't planning to put up a fight if Worren had chosen to torture him till he died. But for some reason Worren did not lay a hand upon him, not even to punch him in the face. He had tied his wrists, they hurt and he almost couldn't feel his fingers, and tossed him in a closet, but that was it. Rath figured he was being left to starve, but his mind seemed too full to fully appreciate all the discomfort from his shrinking stomach and parched throat. Never in his life did he think it would end like this, so it became unreal. The very air was smothering, and his lungs rejected it, never in his life had he been this restricted. He became immensely restless, not just his mind, but his butt got sore, his legs got cramped up, and soon the only thing he wanted was out.**

**His legs found some unidentifiable source of great strength and he was up, the top of his head nearly butting the low ceiling. With his eyes wide and wild, he drove his entire body against one of the walls, then back against the other. His fists balled up behind him and using his legs he thrusts himself backward, driving his fists into the wall, but only denting it slightly. He continued throwing himself around the room for a few minutes till he decided to focus all his strength on the door, even though the mahogany door felt firmer then stone and hurt the most. His lungs sucked in a sharp breath and his entire body firmed up almost into a curl as he charged sideways at the door, the force would have surely dislocated his arm from his shoulder, but at that instant the door swung open. **

**His legs stiffened right up and tried to stop, his chest and shoulders uncurled, but his rigid torso flung forward and toppled over Zimmer.**

**"Get up, you filthy creature!" snarled Worren, jerking Rath up from where he lay sprawled over a befuddled blushing Zimmer.**

**Worren's grip on Rath's arm became painful as he brought him dangerously close to his face. "I should stab your green eyes out of your head you sneaky dirty human!" Unheeding Rath returned the spiteful glare and curled his upper lip, like an unruly dog. That's when Zimmer wrapped her arms around Rath's middle, and protested. "Father, stop it! He just fell that's all, it's not his fault! He was probably suffocating to death so he pressed up against the door!"**

**Rath's glare turned from hate to confusion as he watched the ape girl defend him. Why was she doing it? It was almost alarming; it went against everything he knew to be true of the nature of apes. So filled with puzzlement was Rath that he didn't even notice as another thick scratchy rope was draped around his neck, until it was tightened and began to strangle his breath away. His body became stiff and limber as it jerked around wanting air, and the force shoved Zimmer off him. **

**This made her cross and she shouted. "That's enough, Father!" Almost instantly the vice grip closing Rath's air way reopened and he was dropped down on to his knees. His head thrown back as his lungs heaved and he began to cough roughly.**

**"Its your problem now." growled Worren as he took a step back.**

**Zimmer cut the ropes from Rath's wrists then held him against her chest, with her hand resting on his head. "It'll be alright now ..." she cooed while rocking gently back and forth.**

**Rath's breath was lost again as alarm stiffened him, and his pupils narrowed as he looked away from the disgusting creature holding him, that's when he noticed the look in Worren's vicious eyes, it was something like disdain, grief, and spite all fused together. At that instant Rath realized Worren must be feeling the way he felt about losing Liberty to a reputable creature. It was too hard to resist, and a coy grin soon blossomed on Rath's lips, and he felt like he had been fed a bottle of warming satisfaction. He would have even wrapped his arms around the ape girl, but even in the peak of his enchanting mood he could not bring himself to get past all the conditioning of aversion that resided within his soul. **

"**That creature would never have been allowed to step foot out of that closet if we did not all have to leave the house. It can't be left alone." muttered Worren, keeping his disdainful glare upon Rath.**

**Zimmer smiled brightly, "I'm excited. I've never brought a pet to a picnic before!" exclaimed Zimmer, at this Rath's aversion to the creature grew and he stiffened and recoiled away from her.**

**At the Sabador park**

**On a caterpillar green grassy tall hill, a massive chestnut tree stood with its dark limbs rooted heavily into the ground. Beneath it Rath sat with his back to its smooth bark, he was bound to it. The thick rope around his neck was tied to a low hanging branch, and his hands were free. Rath even still had his pocketknife hidden on him. At this point escape seemed so simple that he almost didn't think about it. Instead he sat thinking about the memories of Liberty. He had thought once he had saved her, he would stop thinking of her all the time, but now she was the ONLY thing he could think of, it was almost debilitating.**

**He sat with his arms at his side, his eyes lamely staring into the distance, with his lips slightly parted, overcome in a dreamy haze. "Damn her…" cursed Rath lowly, while clutching his fists till they turned white, then he looked down the steep hill and watched the swarm of apes eat and talk happily to each other. They seemed very small from the distance, almost nonthreatening with their happy chatter.**

**Two ape women greeted each other and grinned broadly. "What a lovely day for a picnic is not it?"**

**"Yes, but I can't understand why there are so many soldiers that came today."**

**"Well, soldiers need to relax too." suggested the female.**

**"Yes, but they are all still in those bulky unsightly armor uniforms." whispers the second ape, raising an eyebrow as one of the soldiers passes her by.**

**"It is probably because Worren is present, he is so stiff he makes everyone around him stiff." whispers back the first ape, as they both stare over at Worren who glared intently up toward something in the distance.**

**The picnic tables were decked out with foods of all varieties, yet all consisting of nothing more then fruits, vegetables, and bread. Vegetarian pizza, veggie burgers, fruit shakes, fries, salads, cooked noodles, fruit cake and much more. And each picnic table was anchored in the air at the end of a muscular branch, the gargantuan oak tree the base of a carousal of wood tables naturally fused, all around it by the finger like branches that grasped them. There were still plenty of branches above the tables to provide shade, and if there weren't any seats left available at the tables, there were plenty more among the higher level of branches where other apes lounged and ate. **

**Zimmer stood at one of the tables gathering some slices of watermelon onto a wood plate, when some young girl apes called to her from a branch above. A dark haired ape girl hung by an arm and a leg and gaped down at her as she said. "Wow, Zimmer, you have a pretty dress on." Before Zimmer had time to reply another lighter haired ape girl swung down beside the first and placed her hand over the first one's mouth. "Hey, don't talk to Zimmer Goldstem!" warned the ape. A third ape knelt down and scowled down anxiously at Zimmer. "Yeah, unless you want Worren to chop up your family and feed them to you." With that the tree was alive with the chime of jeering laughter. Zimmer turned and lowered her head dejectedly, yet kept her strong gaze up, while she held her plate with her foot and climbed down the side of the titanic tree.**

**Rath now sat with arms resting on his drawn up knees as he pressed his lips against the side of his hand. His eyes were blind in a distant memory. In his ears Liberty's young voice rang in his ears.**

"**You're crazy Rath, nothing can go up that high." states Liberty her purple eyes wide as she gapes up at where he dangles upside down from a low branch of a towering tree. To the small children the tree seemed to go all the way past the blue sky.**

"**It's true I went all the way to the top." insisted Rath frowning down at her. **

**"Fibber!" she accused pointing her tongue at him. **

**"I did too! At the very top of the tree I put a plank of wood; it sits on the very top of the tree like a flat hat." Rath crossed his arms because Liberty had now closed her eyes with her tongue still sticking out of her mouth. "Come on then Liberty, if you're brave enough I'll prove it to you." coaxed Rath, swinging on top of the branch and climbing further up the body.**

"**I'll do better then that, I'll beat you to the top." proclaims Liberty brazenly, as she jumps up and hugs up the huge tree trunk after him.**

**Liberty did indeed pass Rath by, and after half an hour of careful maneuvering through widely spaced branches, and thin dense clutters of branches, Liberty made it to the top of the tree and sat on the board. She then hunched over and reached a hand down to Rath who took it but didn't pull against it afraid he may throw her off balance, but even once Rath was safely on the board she didn't release his hand. At the time Rath figured Liberty was afraid of the height, even though her face was calm, so he held her hand hard to make her more secure and because it soothed him as well. The board was small, with just enough room for Rath and Liberty to sit with their sides fused together. In front of them was a sea of shades of green, from the tops of trees from all over the forest, and above a setting sun with the sky a mixture of pink and blue.**

"**We would never be able to see this from down on the ground, we can see everything from up here…" exclaimed Liberty grinning wider then she normally did, the purple of her eyes never seemed as vivid as they did on that instant, it might've been the uninhibited color from the sky.**

**Rath almost mentioned it, but instead he said. "Yeah, I bet even apes don't climb this high, stupid apes ..." sneers Rath, glaring darkly and sticking his tongue out in the direction of the ape village which was almost visible.**

"**Yah, stupid dratsab apes!" agreed Liberty blowing raspberries at the ape village with Rath.**

"**Hey, I can see blue water alllllll the way past the ape village, it looks like the sun is diving into the water." exclaimed Rath his mouth gaping.**

**Liberty frowns, her eyes squinting hard into the distance. "I can't see it, are you sure?" **

**Rath was silent as he added disdainfully. "Those stupid kcufin apes would never bother us if we lived there ..."**

"**People say there is water far away, but you would have take a 1,000 mile walk through "Stupid Suicide Desert", if you make it alive it doesn't matter because the water is cursed and only makes you more thirsty." Liberty glances over at Rath and suddenly adds. "but that's just stupid legend, I bet we could make it there easy, and start our own GREAT village." her voice growing loud and confident, as she peered into Rath's lemon lime green eyes with her lips pursed out with ambition, and Rath couldn't help but smile back…**

**"Hi." Zimmer's cheerful, perky voice dissolved the smile from Rath's face sending reality rushing back at him. "We never got properly introduced, my name's Zimmer Goldstem." she said handing Rath a slice of watermelon.**

**"Do you mind? I'm trying to drown in self-pity…" utters Rath turning his head away from her disgruntled.**

**"Alright then, if you won't tell me your name, I'll just call you "Sly-boots"." exclaimed Zimmer closing her eyes and giggling, while Rath rolled his eyes annoyed.**

**"You have pretty eyes." awed Zimmer moving closer to gape into Rath's bright lemon lime green eyes.**

**"Does your father have lemon lime green eyes too?" asked Zimmer innocently, as she placed a second slice of watermelon at Rath's feet. **

**Rath's lips form a firm line as he gazes away from her indignantly, just then he spied a rock coming at him. A second later he caught it in his palm just before it hit him in the face.**

**"Why do you like playing with ugly diseased creatures?" demanded a large boy ape, his shoulders were broad and he was slightly overweight.**

**He had his criticizing eye fixed on Rath who paid no heed, then without removing his gaze he scooped up the watermelon slice and took a large bite from it.**

** "You're the diseased one!" hissed Zimmer scowling at him with venom in her eyes.**

**Broar's chubby face broiled with rage. "Shut up!" he spat with watermelon seeds sailing from his mouth, as he took a heavy step toward her.**

**"Just go away, Broar!" huffed Zimmer, folding her arms and turning her head away.**

**"Why? So you can be alone with your diseased human?!" demanded Broar, smacking the back of his hand across her face. Rath's green eyes lit up and his muscles instinctively sent him up to his feet just as Zimmer did.**

**"Get away from me!" shrieked Zimmer running down the hill, with Broar running after her on all fours. **

**It wasn't until they were clear down the hill that Rath's muscles unclenched and he realized he was getting defensive of the girl ape. **

**Zimmer ran up to her mother, and clutches her dress. "Mom, Broar won't leave me alone, again!" whined Zimmer. But her mother did not bat an eyelash down at her as she continued to chat cheerfully with three other apes. **

**"Mom!" urged Zimmer, peering desperately up at her mother.**

**"Yes, it's beautiful, honey." stated her mother without interrupting her blabbering with friends.**

**Zimmer turned around to see Broar sprinting toward her, so she frowned and paced off, gradually her pace intensified into a four legged rush. **

**Worren continued to keep a hateful watch on Rath, he was momentarily distracted by and hand being placed on the broad shoulder armor of his suit. "Aw, look at our children play. They could be married soon." Worren's teeth grinned as his scowl deepened darkly at a taller yet not as muscular ape. "It really is destined, my son, Broar, is planning to take over your job." continues the ape with a broad friendly grin. Worren removed the other ape's heavy hand from his shoulder and replied sharply. "I highly doubt all that." his sharp jaws bared more and more with every word. **

**Soon Zimmer returned to stand on two feet and turned around to find she had run out of the sight of the all the other apes, she looked in front of her was a tall bob wire fence, on the other side was a giant, deep, canal, it brought used water out from the village. And was the most ominous place in the entire town, for apes can't swim.**

**Water is the ape's number one weakness, but they still used it for growing crops and to drink, the water was only taken in small quantities through pipes all through the town, then drained out through the canal.**

**Somehow the rushing water calmed Zimmer, her eyes closed halfway and she let out an exasperated sigh. "Why is life so hard?" she mutters below her breath. **

**A twig broke behind her and Zimmer spun around to find Broar standing there, before she could think, Zimmer was climbing the fence and standing at the canal's ledge. Broar fallowed her, and spun her around to face him.**

**"What, are you scared of apes, now? Huh?!" spat Broar giving Zimmer a hard shove back.**

**Zimmer kept her stance, and balled up her fists. "No, I just feel hatred toward you!" shot back Zimmer viciously.**

**"And yet, you like that rabid human?!" demanded Broar pushing her again, Zimmer's eyes widened as she felt herself lose balance ...**

"**What is happening to me? Tied up like a house-human. I am not!" Rath brought his pocketknife out in quivering hands and lays it against his throat. Cutting through the thick rope with one outward slash. "Liberty! I've had enough! I can't help you! I can't be like you!" he shouted at the branches above him, as if she were right there. And he was able to regain the ability to respire in peace.**

**"You gonna marry that disgusting sack of shit! Is that what you want?!" roared Broar his eyes burning with toxicity.**

**"Leave me alone! Or I'll tell my mom and dad that you were the one that burned down our old house, when you played with fire!" screamed Zimmer at the top of her lungs.**

**Broar's lips curled as he shouted. "If you tell anyone I'll kill you!" and put all his weight into shoving Zimmer, who let out a shrill scream, as she fell off the ledge plummeting into the canal's murky dark green waters.**

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Zimmer's piercing screams could be heard from far distances. Every ape in the park dropped what they were doing and instantly charged toward the sound.**

**The scream caught Rath's breath in his lungs, and froze him, just when he had planned to sneak into town and hide out in a wagon destined to exit the Sabador town.**

**A smile broke on Rath's face. "I couldn't have asked for a better distraction." he let out an ironic laugh as he darted down the hill, but just when he reached the base Zimmer's dire voice rang out once more.**

**"I'M DROWNING! I don't wanna-" her pleading words gurgled and cut off.**

**Rath's eyes closed and his lids reopened with his eyes screwed up, and his mouth tight with frustration. "ERR!" he roars between gritted teeth as his eyes grow round. "Damn it all!!" he screams out as he races around the hill, across the grassy fields, past the trees with dangling picnic tables, and through the crowd of ape's that gaped from behind the wire fence. In a flash he was up the fence and over it, before the spectator apes could gasp and point. "Move it!" shouted Rath as he elbowed a soldier ape aside before shooting into dark water. He cut into the water like a bullet, and with only a few glances he spotted Zimmer's lifeless form sinking below him, her white dress making her look like a weary spirit.**

**Pumping his legs and spreading the water with his arms he came up to her and slipped one arm under her arms, then his feet reached the bottom and he sprung them back up toward the surface. Their heads cracked through the surface of the water and he swiftly headed to the shore, placing his elbow under Zimmer's chin to keep her head above water.**

**Zimmer's eyelids fluttered lightly open. "Sly-Boots?.." she questioned weakly.**

**"My debt had been paid…" replied Rath coldly, just as they reached the shore.**

**Two warrior apes reached down and lifted Zimmer out of the water. Rath promptly propelled against the ledge and shot away from the shore just as Worren's hand swooped down to grasp a hold of him. He swiftly back stroked down the canal toward FREEDOM.**

**The water from the canal dumped back into the forest so if Rath simply floated down the canal he would eventually reach the forest.**

**"Get back here you little vermin!" snarled Worren, as he fallowed at the side of the canal till there was no room to walk.**

**"Go to hell and take this with you!!" snickered Rath flipping Worren off.**

**"What does it mean when they raise they're middle finger like that?" asked a female ape to the ape next to her.**

**"You don't want to know…" answered the other ape who cupped her hand to her mouth.**

**Rath lay on his back floating down the calm canal, it smelled ugly, and was unnaturally warm, but it was the way to freedom .**

**The canal was longer then expected, almost endless, but Rath's tranquility would not be shaken. "Aaa, good old water, every human's best friend, you keep us hydrated, protect us from apes, grow crops…you're the source of life, so clean and pure… " Vented Rath letting his droopy eyelids close, the warm water was so comfortable unlike the hard wood floor of the closet, and his body lusted for sleep like a dog in heat.**

**Rath awoke with his heart pumping to Scope's loud screeching in his ears, and its huge midnight wings slapping him in the face. "Scope what the hells?!" he shouted as flung his arms across his face defensively, as he sunk into the water. When he emerged from the warm waters, he was wide awake and very angry at the crow. Which had flown out of sight. But the anger was promptly flushed away when his ears were filled with the sound of thundering water, and he felt his body being pulled by a mighty force in the very essence of the water. He spun himself around to see the water cascading down the hugest waterfall he had ever seen.**

**"Oh, horse crap…" were the last thing Rath utters before he fell down the crushing falls, he felt like a thousand thrashing fists were being slammed into him, and he hit the water with his arms shielding his head. Once he was secure in the belly of the water darkness took him, it took his breath, and left him lifeless at the currents mercy. Rath told himself to swim, but his beaten and worn muscles could not budge his heavily sinking body. The relentless current dragging his heavy body deeper into the cold depths.**

"**Is this what I get? ..." the thought delicately sweeps through his mind, like the dirty water into his lungs.**


	4. Home Sick

**HOME SICK**

**Home sick**

**The meager form of a dark haired boy, his body curls inward as all his senses dim, drowns deeply and deeper down. Till it seems, he can sink no further, so he floats suspended within the deep belly of the murky, green, waters. Some radiant beams of yellow light beckon from above where an unattainable passive sun shines down. His inert lime green eyes clouded over, thereupon making his visage utterly docile. The clumpy ebony layers of his hair sweep across his bloodless face, while trails of bubbles fall upward from the corners of his eyes, nose and lips, taking all remaining energy along, as his thick lashes steadily close. **

**At that time, the waters grew serene, happy with their submissive prisoner, when a sudden intrusion came like black bullet shot in the water. The creature that penetrated the waters wore and was consumed by a loose flowing black cloak, which floated up and all around him, making the invader as shapeless as a cloud of ink. But from within the bundle of fine cloth a pale hand emerged, and grasped hold of Rath's arm, next the cloak gave a mighty heave, like wings, they were lifted up through the water and smashed through its pane like surface. **

**Rath's lime green eyes split open as a driving force was expelled upon his chest, causing him to vomit-cough out a spout of water that drenched him from chest to knees. He wrapped an arm across his burning chest, and used the other to steady him as he cringed forward and coughed heavily. Then once his lungs expelled most of the noxious waters, he began to take in some raspy wheezes of air, which chilled his traumatized lungs. Once breathing became a lesser struggle, Rath turned his head up and became aware of the shadow he sat within, it belonged to a towering hooded figure. The form was completely secured in darkness solid enough to absorb light, save for two glowing T shapes that gleamed like eerie gems. The painful sensation within Rath's lungs were nearly forgotten as the he gaped with wonder-struck round eyes. There was a loud caw that echoed through the woods, then an equally dark crow perched upon the man's shoulder, it was Scope. And the longer Rath stared, the more familiarity he felt toward hooded person; also feeling the distinct presence of a musing smile beaming down at him from beneath the hood. Rath's face at last broke his stupefied, marveling stare, and he saved up a breath of air to expel in the form of a question, consequently a smooth and firm as iron voice spoke first. "And deadly if you don't take it seriously," it said from the cover of the hood.**

**Rath's eyes squinted hard, as his chest continued to draw up and down. "Wha''?" was the only word vague enough to express Rath's overall confusion of everything that had just happened.**

**"The water, it can be deadly if you don't take it seriously." Elucidated the man simply, and with that, he turned, and twirl of his coat tail was the last that was seen of him**

**Not content at all, Rath tried to get to his feet and intended to pursue, but ended up on hands and knees throwing up some more.**

…**SOME TIME LATER**

**Rath made his way through a large brake of trees and found himself on the bank of a river he has known since a child, it sparkled and greeted him with its delicate trickling, as he walked beside it with a smile on his lips, till he reached the expansive river bank, where his little home floated undisturbed by the slightest trickle. Cheeks uplifted with a rare broad smile, Rath felt relief wash over him, and he felt he couldn't have been more comforted, that is, until the voice of his mother rang out to him, that's when he was sure he was completely secure in his little world, Home.**

**He turned to his right, and there stood his mother, gaping at him, as if she didn't know what he was. She was, like always, in her form consuming, thick, brown robe, with her straight white hair flowing almost to her waist, and beneath that heavy auburn robe her white dress flowed freely around her legs. She continued to stare at him, her purple eyes as big as saucers, only upon closer proximity did he also notice the anxiety in them, and if she was frowning her rich layers of bangs did not give it away.**

"**Mother!" Rath called brightly, as he charged toward her with his arms outspread. Yet, just when he was within arms reach, his face received a firm smack from the back of her hand. The strike came as no surprise, and so Rath's smile remained wide and sincere.**

**Her eyes turned a grey-purple tint, revealing a tired and worn old wisedom, as her head shook gradually with disapproval. "How could you think to do something like that?" she demanded.**

**Rath cocked his head to one side, and raised his lime green pupils up thoughtfully. "Uuummm..." was all he could say.**

**R.M took a step toward him and enclosed him in her tender imbrace, laid one hand behind his head and closed the space between them, his frame pressed firmly to the front of her white dress. "Did they hurt you?" she asked, her voice low with concern.**

**"Only as much as you did." he answered, tonguing the inside of his mouth which had begun to bleed.**

**His mother let her arms go lax so that she could pull away and look down at her son in silence, her eyes like icey orbs with endless centers.**

**Rath's eyes suddenly lit up, and he spoke quickly with enthusiasm. "And the weirdest thing happened; I fell off a waterfall and I couldn't get to the surface, I almost drowned but a "Shadow Demon" saved my butt!"**

**By the word "Shadow Demon" R.M's pupils narrowed; her hands were on his shoulders but she was far away. Rath's excitement dimmed into concern, but before he could ask what was the matter, his mother's mouth began to move. "Did he tell you anything?" was all she said, her face stern as stone and revealing nothing.**

**"Just to be careful around the water…" answered Rath simply.**

**R.M exhales from her nose as she unsets her jaw. "Those are evil creatures, I want you to stay by our territory, and if he ever comes near you again I want you to run straight home." she states rigidly, peering solemnly into his eyes, but Rath grimaced as he screwed his eyes up. "Aww, come on, I'm not going to run away. I've gone to the ape village and back for damn sake!" he protested, but his mother's grip on his shoulders tightened as profusely as her intense stare burrowed into him and she slowly and deliberately added. "Do you understand me?" **

**Rath never saw his mother's pupils tremble like they did, and so he did not argue and knodded his head.**

**She pulled him back to her chest even closer then before, and ran her fingers through the many layers of his dark hair, causing it to stand on end. "Thank you, now get in the house. You're starved." stated R.M. the pitch of her voice normal again. She did not offer him a smile as she usually did once she had been forced to be strict, only drew in a deep breath, turned and slipped her bare feet into the crystal river water, her long white dress pooling behind her like a tail of clouds.**

**"What does she have against them?" wondered Rath frowning in puzzlement.**

**...APE VILLAGE: midnight**

**Liberty lay in her goose-feather bed, her purple eyes unblinking as they peer through the round skylight above her head. One hand delicately lay upon the monstrous, huge, radiant pearls lining the base of her neck. While her brain wrapped tightly up in memories of her best friend, one whom she expected despised her, and would never see again.**

**Flashback …**

**A young Liberty held the oversized pearl necklace dangling in her tiny cupped hands, her eyes as perfectly round and white as the pearls.**

"**What are these?" she questions blankly.**

"**Pearls." Answers Rath, turning to his side and gazing off in a random direction with his hands folded behind his back.**

"**Why are you giving them to me?" she asks.**

"**If you don't like it you don't have to keep it." Rath mutters dully.**

"**I've never seen anything like them …" she answers lowly, her eyes glowing down at the perfectly round and white orbs.**

"**Where did you find them?" she asks looking up at him. **

"**From the "secret cave." explains Rath, turning himself around and looking at Liberty, who then allows her smile to grow, as round tears drop from her eyes.**

**Rath's eyes then bulge in alarm. "Why….Why are you crying?" he demands bewildered. Liberty scarcely showed any emotions.**

"**I don't deserve it…." She whimpers, closing her eyes.**

**Rath frowns helplessly as his friend sobs in front of him, guilt coming up his throat. For it had been an unconscious motive of his to get the girl to open up some emotion to him, but sorrow was not the one he had hoped to receive.**

**A sudden small creak from downstairs whipped Liberty back to reality. Her eyes blinked, and her body surged with the anticipation that perhaps, Rath had returned to her. With nothing else in her mind, she snapped out of bed and briskly sprinted across her room, stopping briefly to pat down her curvy blonde hair in front of her white-oak vanity. She wore a light, white dress with sky blue laces criss-crossing down the front, and the side of her dress was cut nearly all the way up her right leg, were she had a five inch long, double edged switchblade. It accompanied her always, since age three, tied to her thigh, ready to be pulled out during a fight; the only possesion she owned, possibly given to her by her biological parents.**

**The floorboards told her that someone was lurking around in the sitting room just outside her room.**

**All Liberty's hopes were held in her chest as she breathlessly exited her room and whisper-called out. "Rath is that you?" There was no response, only resilient mocking silence. She almost began to think it was all in her head, but she refused to accept that, she needed too badly to breathe in his presence. But it was not only her mind that wanted him there, her intuitive instincts also told her there was something out there, and at the time her reckless passions took hold and she sauntered heedlessly forward. "Rath …" That's when a large hand wrapped around her entire face; over her mouth, nose, cheeks, and right eye.**

**Her hand worked on instinct, as it took hold of the switchblade and plunged it through the ape's thigh, subsequently his vice on her face was released, yet he made no sound. She side stepped from his reach, when another hand grabbed her into the air by her wrist.**

**"Ha, this little human has some fight in it." snickered the ape under his breath, while the dangling Liberty swung her bare feet at him. A kick came close to his face, but the ape readily caught her foot in his free hand. Liberty got him just where she wanted him, in one hand the ape clutched her wrist, in the other he had her ankle, now she swung the knee of her free leg into his face. Blood drained from his flared nostrols but only the grip on her ankle was released as he applied a hand to his gushing broken nose. Liberty took hold of the ape's arm and raised her chin level to his raised outstretched arm like a limb of a tree, and bit into his thumb, till he began to heave his arm from side to side then pounded his hand down against the ground, but Liberty had broken free before the impact. While the ape was on his knuckles and knees Liberty took a glass vase and smashed it across the its face, just as a dozen new apes inched toward her from the shadows.**

**"Bring it on! You stinky, dratsabs!" challenged Liberty showing off her pearly white jaws, as she raised her switchblade level with her cheek. **

**As Liberty entertained the flock of apes, Worren slipped by, and sauntered through the halls and came upon Dr. Lenox, who slowly began exiting her room, to see what all the ruckus was about.**

**"Wha….what's going on?" asked Dr. Lenox's frail voice as she squinted her eyes weakly, leaning a hand upon the door way for leverage.**

**"It's alright Dr. Lenox, why don't you go back to bed." Answered Worren more as a command then a suggestion, as he gently turned her around than slit her throat across his sword.**

**Dr. Lenox drew in a gurgling breath as her shoulders raised up arund her neck, clutching her throat while blood spilled down the front of her silk gown.**

**"Its nothing personal, old hag, I just need you to die." Explained Worren cooly, as he wiped the blood off the blade on the back of Dr. Lenox's white nightgown, and she slowly fell forward onto her knees.**

**"Liberty…." Bellowed Dr. Lenox as slumped against floor, her blood shot eyes bulging.**

**Worren walked out of the room and down the hall in time to catch Liberty making a downward stroke with her switchblade, he used the moment to smash the hilt of his sword against the side of her head, knocking her to the ground, where she lay with her eyes gently closed, her switchblade still fused in her grip.**

**Worren stared down at her in silence, then he gave a snarling glare to his soldiers, "Now was that so hard?!" he seethed through his teeth.**

**NEXT MORNING**

**"Remember Rath, to school then straight home or I'll never prepare your favorite asparagus cookies ever." threatened R.M sternly, as Rath exited the small one-room cabin.**

**"Bluffer." accused Rath pouting his lips and frowning.**

**"Are you willing to take that risk?" she replies in warning.**

**Rath rolled his eyes as he mutters, "I'm not going near an ape for a long while. But why do I have to go to school, I already know how to read and write good." he protests, glaring down at the water.**

**"Because learning is happiness." she answers.**

**"Sounds like punishment." he grumbles, before sinking down into the water and briskly swimming to the shore. **

**Rath's mother had wrapped up his feet in new onyx black cloth, which fit his foot like a sleeve and protected them from any discomfort, yet he still dragged his feet and kicked small stones around. Around his neck was a black scarf, to protect him from the morning chill, which matched his armwarmers. Liberty bubbled in his brain, it forced him to pick up his pace, he wanted to reach the human village in order to distract his mind with higher education.**

**His instincts made him raise his chin, something was moving about in the brush nearby. His back instantly pressed against the trunk of a tree and his eyes scanned the area finely, that's when he heard a soft moan. Rath ducked low and took a few cautious steps forward, his pocketknife in hand, he unbent his knees and peered over a bush to see what looked like a dead leopard.**

**Rath was bewildered completely, leopards were supposedly instinct. Then he noticed a skinny human hand sticking out from beneath the leopard.**

**"What the hell…" Rath uttered, as he approached the thing, and slowly poked it's side. That's when another moan escaped it, but it did not belong to any animal, it was human. With that, Rath lifted the leopard skin to find Miu curled up like a shrimp, with her eyes tightly shut in pain, drenched in a cold sweat, with weird, green, spots covering every inch of her skin. **

**"Oh god, Miu, what happened?!" demanded Rath, placing his palm to her forehead, and she retracted away.**

**"Errow…" she moaned, squinting her eyes weakly, her cheeks red.**

**If she hadn't pulled away suddenly, than Rath surely would have, because his hand burned red from just one touch.**

**Rath knelt down beside her, and collected her in his arms. "I'll get you some help." he promised, but Miu struggled against him and pointed down at where her leopard skin lay on the ground.**

**"You're too hot to be wearing that." he resoned, but she only squirmed some more. So he went down and draped the skin over her like a blanket as he walked along with her. "Looks like you got your own spots now, Miu." pointed out Rath with an ironic grin.**

**Things became alot less humorious by the time Rath crossed the skinny, long, wood, ramp that was the only way in to the small village, unless you chose to swim through the moat/cesspool that bordered the human village.**

**The moat was only 10 yards long and twenty feet deep, but for an ape that was twenty feet too much, and crocodiles often chose to sunbathe near the muddy waters.**

**In the center of the village, two gargantuan sky scrapers stuck out from the ground, half barried in the ground and tilted to one side, like two crystal pillars they gleamed against the sun light, even if most the windows were cracked, or boarded up with wood or cardboard. There were a few run down shacks here and there, just temporary dwellings where the unlucky went to sleep if it got too crowded inside the two towers. The very top floor of the towers were watchposts, with the rest of the higher floors being living quarters. Below the surface, in the basemen of the first tower was the school/meeting room, and various stores, which sold anything from food, to weapons, fabric, and other misalanious objects. The second tower's basement was used mostly as a hospital, and where herbs were sold, and the brightest minds of the village collaborated, and learned off rare books from the past, and by experimenting on the dead. A high stone wall encircled the area between the towers, only a few were allowed access to the pin, where animals were bred, and small patches of crops were grown.**

**The top floors of the each skyscraper housed a little more than sixty people, sometimes more. Close lines were hung from the windows all the way down to the trees nearby, or to the high fence circling around the livestock, and plants.**

**The human village was pretty well isolated in the woods, and the moat provided some security, but that didn't stop ape from coming along to catapolting flaming garbage at the village, or sending rabid horses rampaging through village, or what ever other vandalism they could conjure up. Even with new humans being born, and some arriving from other remote areas of the world, the population of humans in the village kept on a constant decline, due almost entirely by the groups of apes kidnapping humans for profit.**

**Going through the village was more depressing then it usually was, there seemed to be more garbage spewn, and a heavier stench drifted in the air, Rath couldn't help but compare it to the prosperous the ape village, and it filled him with rage. But he also noticed the village was relatively quiet, no children playing, no people talking, there was hardly anyone around. Rath figured there might have been an ape attack recently. As he approached the second tower the enrance was clogged by a mass of people talking loudly amongst themselves.**

**"Excuse me." Said Rath trying to get knudge past one of the men crowding around the hospital doors.**

**" You want to see the healer, you have to get in line!" snapped the gruff man, standing his ground, and elbowing Rath in the side.**

**Rath seethed with rage. "Can't you see i'm holding someone ill?!" he barked. **

**The man returned his gaze with his own grim one. "So, what makes you so special?" he questioned raising his chin up, and clinging to the man's hand was a small boy covered in bulging green spots.**

**Rath's frown dissolved as he looked around at the people, and came to realize almost every one of them was covered in spots, or was with someone who was.**

**"No, damn way ..." exhaled Rath his mouth ajar in disbelief.**

**"ATTENTION ALL!" a strong, steely, deep voice shouted from the third floor of the second tower, it was the "Healer." **

**The healer wore a white mask over his nose and mouth, a white bandana, and a white apron over his gray robe.**

**"This is a sickness we have never dealt with and do not know much about, however, what we can tell you is that it is not contagious, yet we do not yet know how it is spread, and the sickness effects only humans, of all genders and ages! For now take the ill home lay them down and make sure their fever's stay down, thank you!" explained the Healer as he disappeared from view.**

**"Is that all you can tell us?!" "You have to help us!" "At least let the rest of us into the hospital you animals!!" protested the people in the crowd, growing more and more outraged.**

**"Aww ...now what?" grunted Rath discouraged, as he began to walk away before a riout could break out. He swallowed a lump in his throat and gazed helplessly down at the cat girl in his arms, her eyes were shut and her face scrunched up in discomfort. He paced about aimlessly for a moment, before coming across a haggardly, elderly, man lying alone under a tree, his skinny, wrinkly face was covered with green spots, but even without the sickness he appeared naturally sick.**

**Rath sighed as Miu started to radiate more heat, and started to feel heavier. "Let's get you some fresh water." he told her, as he began to walk off, but his conscience would not let him leave without offering a hand to the lone old man.**

**"Do you need some help?" asked Rath stopping and looking over his shoulder.**

**The elder coughed, and croked out. "No thank you child, I've lived….long enough…..take care….of your pretty little friend there…" his words were paced and scratchy, as he put one boney arm across his middle and tightly sealed his eyes.**

**Rath rolled his eyes briskly as he turned around and knelt over man. "Come on, you old fart!" he groaned placing Miu on one shoulder and the old man, who weighed next to nothing, on his other shoulder.**

**The sun seemed ready to start setting by the time Rath was within his terroritory limits, with his shoulders and back muscles pinching and tormenting.**

**Rath was sweating profusely and took ragged deep breaths, with his head bowed low, he didn't need to pay attention to his surrounding, he could find his way back home in the utter dark. A dark and cool voice inquired, "What are you doing, Rath?" **

**Rath's pain and exhaustion was forgotten in that second; he turned his head to see the same black cloaked figure standing not an inch behind him.**

**"Oh, you almost scared me. I'm glad you're here, can you help us? All the people have got an illness." stated Rath, turning completely around with a relieved grin.**

**"You have nothing to fear, Rath. The sickness ****only**** effects people with ****weak ****immune systems." he assures blankly.**

**Rath's smile evaporated on his sweat drenched face. "Huh…but what about the rest of -?" he began to question.**

**"You know, that's adorable…" snickered the man.**

**"What is?" asked Rath frowning in puzzlement.**

**"The strong helping the weak … but it is not practical." states the Shadow Demon, the lime green lower-case t's on his cheeks gleamed more vividly for a moment. The indifference was inconseviable and left Rath at a loss for words, so he became rigid and still. "Who are you?" he finally managed to ask.**

**"Butch, leader of the Shadow Demons." he said as he backed away into the darkness of the forest, until the shadows made him gone.**

**Most humans now a days had the survival-of-the-fittest-and-smartest mentality, but something about Butch seemed just plain cruel. Perhaps that he had the capacity to help, yet chose not to. "What the hell?" pondered Rath out loud, then the weight of his two dependents came back to him, and he forced himself to sprint the rest of the way home.**

**Once he was at the edge of the river "MOTHER!" called Rath loudly.**

**"Rath, where have you been?" shouted back R.M crossly, from within the house.**

**"I need some help!" he responded.**

**R.M. slid the heavy quilt blanket aside to see Rath wading into the river with two people propped up against his shoulders. Her eyes seemed shocked on more than one account, then she quickly moved to help Rath swim them to the house.**

**Once inside Rath and his mother place folded blankets beneath their heads, and wet clothes on their faces, and while feeding water down their throat, Rath explains the outbreak, but purposely omits the part about meeting the Shadow Demon again. "The Healer seems to know nothing about the illness, what should we do?" demanded Rath searching his mother's violet eyes for answers.**

**Rath's Mother eyes remain detached and calm, and for a moment she only looks at him, then she turns her face away and replies. "I know of a disease and virus expert, an ape, she's called Dr. Lenox…" thought R.M. out loud.**

**Rath's guts curled and clenched as his teeth grinded. That name he cursed, it was of the ape who had taken his best friend away from him. **

**Rising from his knees Rath's face suddenly became passive and blank. "I'm going to ... the bathroom ..." Rath says with finality, before exploding through the quilt door and diving in the water, and before his mother could protest he was already to the shore.**

**"RATH! GET YOUR SKINNY ARSE BACK HERE! DON'T YOU DARE GO BACK TO THE APE VILLAGE!" screamed R.M. leaning against the door way with angst in her eyes.**

**"Sorry mother, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" shouted back Rath with definetly, as he slipped into the Sabador forest.**

**((Wow, my back hurts. This didn't take too long to edit ... Oh, look at that; It's Turkey day already. Happy Turkey Day!))**


End file.
